Arkansas Democrat Joyce Elliott is zeroing in on Republican opponent Tim Griffin’s prior work for Karl Rove, George W. Bush's political adviser, highlighting a thrust of the Democratic argument against him this fall.

In a interview Friday with POLITICO, Elliott called Rove “less than upstanding,” and said, “It bothers me that [Griffin] could have a career that’s so tightly knotted to” him.

Griffin, a former U.S. attorney, spent five months working under Rove as deputy director in the Office of Political Affairs after having been research director at the Republican National Committee. Internal White House e-mails released in 2009 showed that Rove had lobbied for Griffin to be appointed to the U.S. attorney position.

Elliott said Griffin’s work in the White House was a clear indication that he looked up to the political maestro. “I think it matters who you admire and who you hold in high regard,” she said.

Griffin brushed off Elliott’s jab, saying in an e-mail through his spokesman that "working at the White House is an honor for any preacher's kid from Magnolia, but the issue is jobs. While others may get distracted, I will continue to focus on the problem of unemployment and seek to help create good, high-paying jobs for Arkansans.”

Elliott, a state senator, defeated state House Speaker Robbie Wills in a June 8 runoff to capture the Democratic nomination in the Little Rock-based 2nd District. Democratic Rep. Vic Snyder is vacating the seat he has held for five terms.

In the interview, Elliott also pledged that she would not run a campaign against Washington — a risky move in a volatile election year in which candidates across the country are trying to embrace that message. She said she would focus her campaign on addressing problems and not railing against the ills of the political system.

“Do people want us to be focused on solutions or do they just want us to complain about Washington?” she asked, before adding that she would focus her campaign on issues ranging from rural economic development to deficit reduction. “I think, for me, it’s about addressing the problem and not throwing a national temper tantrum.”